# Cynthia Lafuente-Gaona

Immigration Judge · [San Antonio Immigration Court](/kyj/court/tx/san-antonio-immigration-court)

Last updated October 7, 2026

## Cynthia Lafuente-Gaona at a glance

Current role

Immigration Judge

Court

[San Antonio Immigration Court](/kyj/court/tx/san-antonio-immigration-court)

Jurisdiction

Texas · Federal

Judicial service

Active

## Immigration proceeding outcomes

No proceeding outcomes in this EOIR release are matched to this profile. Any separately published asylum statistics are available below.

Asylum decisions and other statistics

## Analytics

Published EOIR records include 812 asylum outcomes associated with this judge. Asylum was granted in 229 (28.2%) and denied in 498 (61.3%); 85 were other or procedural outcomes. [Explore analytics](#analytics)

## Biography

### Professional career

- Judge Cynthia A. Lafuente‐Gaona is an immigration judge at the San Antonio Immigration Court, appointed in November 2017 by Attorney General Jeff Sessions, with a record of granting asylum in 60.7% of cases heard from FY 2021–2026
- Henry Cuellar’s office — Deputy Chief of Staff & Counsel (2005–2010), Chief of Staff & Counsel (2011–2017) 2005–2014: Sole practitioner at Law Offices of Robert Gaona & Associates, San Antonio
- Current role: Immigration Judge, San Antonio Immigration Court (EOIR), since Nov

### Education


### Additional information


## Sources

Identity source checked August 19, 2026 .

Biography sources checked August 19, 2026 .

### DOJ EOIR current immigration judge directory

Identity source · HTML · Source checked August 19, 2026

### EOIR Policy Manual, Part II, Chapter 2.1 - Delivery and Receipt

Courtwide source · HTML · Source checked July 30, 2026

### EOIR Policy Manual, Part II, Chapter 2.3 - Documents

### EOIR Policy Manual, Part II, Chapter 3.10 - Interpreters

### EOIR Policy Manual, Part II, Chapter 3.11 - Courtroom Decorum

### EOIR Policy Manual, Part II, Chapter 3.12 - Electronic Devices

### EOIR Policy Manual, Part II, Chapter 3.15 - Individual Calendar Hearing

### Find an Immigration Court and Access Internet-Based Hearings

### Current EOIR official staff directory

Current EOIR Official Staff Directory source · HTML · Source checked October 7, 2026

[Public Records & Data Use](/public-records-data-use) · [Corrections policy](/corrections)


## Published courtroom rules

### Shared court rules

- [EOIR Practice Manual 2.1 — Delivery and Receipt](https://knowjudges.com/courtroom-rules/national-shared-set-c9195b4f0bba01a19aa8df41) — Immigration Court proceedings only, not BIA or OCAHO. Preserve chapter-specific proceeding limits. Section-specific exceptions, waivers, later amendments and case orders remain applicable. This is a source excerpt, not an exhaustive statement of the rule. [Official source](https://www.justice.gov/eoir/policy-manual-eoir/part-II/icpm/chapter-2-1). Collected 2026-10-27.
- [EOIR Practice Manual 3.11 — Courtroom Decorum](https://knowjudges.com/courtroom-rules/national-shared-set-8d8e8e8bf80478864645291a) — Immigration Court proceedings only, not BIA or OCAHO. Preserve chapter-specific proceeding limits. Section-specific exceptions, waivers, later amendments and case orders remain applicable. This is a source excerpt, not an exhaustive statement of the rule. [Official source](https://www.justice.gov/eoir/policy-manual-eoir/part-II/icpm/chapter-3-11). Collected 2026-10-27.
- [EOIR Practice Manual 2.3 — Documents](https://knowjudges.com/courtroom-rules/national-shared-set-53ee093be24c18a5d1a93046) — Immigration Court proceedings only, not BIA or OCAHO. Preserve chapter-specific proceeding limits. Section-specific exceptions, waivers, later amendments and case orders remain applicable. This is a source excerpt, not an exhaustive statement of the rule. [Official source](https://www.justice.gov/eoir/policy-manual-eoir/part-II/icpm/chapter-2-3). Collected 2026-10-27.